Song of the chapter: World's Smallest Violin by AJR

"The Moon gave me my name, just like every other spirit. And like every Guardian, he gave me a job.

To protect the children of the world with all my being, good or bad."

...

..

.

Jack's POV (Third Person Omniscient POV)

Marley looked up at me with admiration and a big smile on his face.

"Wow, who knew a cold and fun guy like you could turn out to be responsible? And keep children's spirits warm no less!"

I sighed and facepalmed.

"I really should just drop you right now to get it over with."

"No, NO!"

I laughed at the sheer childlike expression on his face. I put my right arm around his waist and slowly pried his hands off my staff, gripping it with my left hand.

"Since you're so lazy and don't wanna fly on your own, I might as well fly for you."

He stayed quiet as he was distracted by the Moon.

"I wish he would tell me why he picked me, what God's purpose of me being a spirit is. Before me, God handled fall on His own. Why can't He handle it on His own now?"

"God doesn't randomly save people, and the Moon doesn't make them mystical spirits so God can be lazy and use us in the placement of the seasons; they pick us because they saw something special in us. Something useful that can help others."

Marley sighed, looking down.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up."

We slowly started descending, going through the misty, puffy clouds. We neared a large glistening lake.

Marley's POV (Third Person Objective POV)

As we floated over the lake, Jack's grip on me tightened. He tilted the tip of his staff down over the water, and as soon as it made contact with the water, the lake started to freeze. The ice and frost spread out left and right as his staff made a line of ice in the water. I peered down with a bright-eyed face, watching as the stars reflected in the water disappeared before my eyes as the ice took over.

"I gotta admit, your ice is so cool!"

I practically screamed.

"Weren't you just cursing it a few moments ago?"

He commented, with a sly look on his face. I'm still getting used to this whole "An hour is a really short time to a spirit" thing.

I avoided looking at his face, a frown adoring my features. I sighed.

"Maybe."

He laughed and ruffled my vibrant orange hair, my hair starting to frost at the ends.

"Ha ha, funny."

I said in a flat tone. I pushed Jack's arm off my waist and started flying on my own. I pulled my bow off my back and an arrow out of my quiver. I slowly pulled the arrow and aimed it at Jack, my flying coming to a stop. I took a deep breath and let go, the arrow hitting him in the back and the tip sticking through his jacket

"OW!"

He screeched, falling on his feet and feeling around on his back, swiftly pulling the arrow out. I burst out laughing. His reaction was so simple, yet so hilarious. The arrow caused his frost-bitten skin to grow a little less pale and a little less frosty as pumpkin vines from the ground started to grow around his feet

"Hey, whaddya know! I might have actually melted a little bit of your dark frozen heart!"

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, slowly raising his arm.

"And you are officially more childish than I am!"

I had no time to respond when a soft but cold snowball hit me in the nose. Snow got all in my glasses and eyes. I shivered and quickly took my glasses off, shaking the snow off them and off of my face.

"How am I more-?!"

I slipped my glasses back on and stopped mid-sentence as I noticed Jack disappeared without a trace or as much as a sound. I knew these fun and games wouldn't last long.

(Last Edited 4-29-2023)